MAURA Higgins may be wowing America with her moves on Dancing With The Stars – but it seems not everyone is quite so keen on her latest partnership.
The star, 35, has been paired with professional dancer Mark Ballas on the hit US show, and while their chemistry on the dancefloor is helping her win over viewers, we’re told it has also left his wife BC Jean keeping a watchful eye on proceedings.
The singer-songwriter, who married Mark in 2016, is said to be making regular appearances at the studio as Maura and her husband put in the gruelling hours of rehearsal.
And insiders claim her presence is no coincidence, with BC said to be well aware of reputation for flirting and her past controversies involving a married man.
A source told us: “BC is certainly keeping a very close eye on the pair. She’s very aware of Maura’s man-eating ways and past indiscretion with , and doesn’t want her to have the opportunity to pounce.
“She’s at the studio a lot, watching the rehearsals and making sure they don’t get too close.
“It’s highly unusual for partners of the pro-dancers to go along so often, so it’s clear she is definitely on edge.”
And there has allegedly been another “rather unusual” development in the ballroom.
BC has now performed live on the show to serenade Mark and Maura not once, but twice – first during the season 35 premiere and then again during last week’s Horror Movie Night.
She stepped in to sing Black Velvet for Mark and Maura’s opening-night routine, before returning to perform Cry Little Sister during the spooky-themed show last weekend.
While having a partner’s wife involved in the musical side of a performance is one thing, her repeated appearances have certainly caught the attention of those backstage.
Our insider claimed: “BC knows exactly who Maura is and she’s certainly not oblivious to her reputation. Everyone knows Maura has never been shy when it comes to flirting.
“These partnerships can become intense because you’re spending so much time together, and BC has now chosen to sing at two of their dances which is rather unusual.”
They continued: “People backstage have noticed that BC has been around more. Everyone is aware that their partnership is attracting attention.”
BC, who is herself a successful musician, is no stranger to the entertainment industry.
She co-wrote Beyoncé’s hit If I Were A Boy and has written songs for other major artists, including and .
She and Mark, who is the son of judge , have also built a musical career together as the duo Alexander Jean.
The couple first met at a house party in 2012 and got engaged three years later, before tying the knot in Malibu, California, on November 25, 2016.
Fellow DWTS professional was among Mark’s groomsmen at the wedding, and the couple now share one child.
But while BC is said to have no issue with her husband being paired with a glamorous celebrity, we’re told she is keen to make sure the partnership does not become something more.
A source said: “BC has no problem with Mark having a glamorous dance partner – she understands that’s the nature of the show. But the last thing she wants is to become part of a love-triangle storyline.”
And it is not hard to see why Maura’s past has become a talking point among the cast.
, her arrival on the show caused a stir among some of the wives and girlfriends of the male professionals, after they discovered details of her infamous kiss with married star Danny Jones.
The pair were pictured kissing at the Brit Awards in 2024, sparking a huge backlash and putting Maura at the centre of a storm.
At the time, an insider told us that some of the cast’s partners had only just learned about the incident after Googling the Irish star when her signing was announced.
They said: “They only just found out about the Danny Jones situation when the Dancing With The Stars line-up was announced and they started Googling Maura.
“They were sending it around their group chats saying, ‘OMG, have you seen this?’ It’s caused a real stir.”
The source also claimed some partners viewed Maura as “ruthless and desperate”, adding that they had vowed to do what they could to stop her winning.
But Maura has been determined to put the controversy behind her and make her mark in America.
And she has certainly got off to a flying start, topping the leaderboard on her debut after scoring 21 out of 30 for her Foxtrot to Black Velvet.
For now, Maura appears to have the judges firmly on side and is proving she can hold her own on the dancefloor.
But with BC said to be keeping such a close eye on proceedings, the biggest challenge may be making sure the drama stays firmly off it.
BC Jean and Maura’s representatives were approached for comment.
